by Special Contributor, Jeanette Gray
The Lakeland YMCA Community Center has fascinated us as we have watched it being built, from the footings to the walls forming the structure. We are excited about the opportunities to enjoy fitness classes for all ages and social programming, especially for senior adults who live in the Lakeland area. I remember my mother-in-law enjoying the “Y” in her hometown because it gave her a daily purpose to socialize and exercise for her age.
When our kids were very young, we had the opportunity to use the “Y” at the University of Memphis. The fee we paid to use the facility wasn’t extravagant for our family, and we didn’t mind paying since we weren’t privileged to have a facility of that caliber in our neighborhood. My son and daughter were taught to swim by reputable teachers, and they also encouraged them to practice their breathing, which helped our son, who has asthma.
The “Y” has given us Olympic stars that we can be proud of and cheer for. We are just seventeen months away from the 2028 Summer Olympics, and we will be cheering our hometown heroes on to victory in the various sports. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to cheer on one of our hometown youth who trained at the Lakeland YMCA to an Olympic Gold?
Don’t be disparaging about the “Y” in our hometown because the building itself will be a haven for strengthening the community, young and old alike, with fitness and health benefits that will last a lifetime. Lakeland is a town with forward-thinking ideas that won’t let the past be its downfall, but will use it as a foundation to build from.
